Message development, social media strategies, and speaker/media training for individuals and groups, so you don't get caught unprepared, speechless or without a message. I'm Washington, DC-based communications consultant Denise Graveline. Want to pick my brain or get a sense of how I work? Do it here.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Here's a great example of how new and social media tools work for public relations professionals: I follow colleague Debbie Friez on Twitter (Debbie's in several of my professional groups and is a reader of this blog). Yesterday, she used her 140-character "tweet" to pass along an article on how and why PR professionals should consider using Twitter. The free service is an open ground for experimentation in sharing information and communicating live events, news and more. And now I'm sharing the article, from the current issue of the PRSA publication PR Tactics, with you. It quotes social media expert Paul Greenberg:

PR professionals not using Twitter really need to get out there...The days of just putting out great press releases are long past, and the ‘who you know’ aspects of business are now amplified. Twitter emphasizes the ‘how,’ and much like other social media success stories can lift an individual or client to higher stature.

Relationship building, speedy response capabilities, live-coverage options and more are cited as Twitter advantages that give you a communications advantage. At the same time, a careful hand with anything that might resemble spam is advised. Check out the article and let me know how you're using Twitter. You'll find me there under dontgetcaught.

1 comment:

I think Twitter has been underestimated and overestimated. For sure, it can spread information fast, but to whom? That's what analysts (not yourself, of course, but others) have forgotten. Hitwise revealed that more than half of Tweeters live in California. More than half are men, and they skew heavily to the young, tech-savvy, affluent, and almost completely liberal, politically. There's a lot of people out there that just don't fit the Twitter profile. And Twitter has had some serious technical difficulties and growing pains. So, I think it's great for reaching a certain audience, and that we should all give it a shot, but understand it's audience limitations. That said, please follow me :)